FAA Issues New Flight Simulator Regulations

The rules will improve pilots' response to unusual situations, as well as give more credit toward the requirements for an instrument rating.

Apr 19, 2016

A rule published on March 30 sets new standards for flight simulator evaluation and qualification, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The new standards are designed to make simulator training and testing more accurate and realistic in scenarios involving stalls, upset recognition and recovery techniques, maneuvers in icing conditions, takeoffs and landings in gusting crosswinds, and bounced landing recovery.

The new rule also addresses a possible lack of simulator fidelity, and FAA reported it anticipates companies will begin modifying simulators as soon as data packages are available.